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Page 60
Aunt Clarissa, who generally sat in the room during the lesson-time to
keep order in the little company, had just been called out by Lina, the
maid-servant, who was usually a most quiet and reserved young person,
but who was now, evidently, much excited and almost distressed as she
asked to "speak a word with Mrs. Clarissa."
No sooner was the door closed than Oscar broke out eagerly:--
"Though neither you nor anybody knows where the Festival is to be this
evening, Fani, yet promise me, on your word of honor, that you will
join us--Promise! at quarter before six, at the three oaks. Promise! and
from there we march to the place of celebration."
Fani looked at Emma.
"Yes, of course you can promise. We shall be back by that time," said
Emma, decidedly. "You see, Oscar, we have something to do together
before that; but we are going at two o'clock if we can get away."
"Go where you please; only promise to be back," said Oscar.
Fani promised that he would be at the three oaks before six o'clock.
"And you too, Fred; we have not too many at the best. Promise that
you'll come too."
It was not so easy to get Fred's consent; he was always slow to make a
promise. Perhaps he would come; but, if he had anything important to
attend to, he couldn't come if he did promise, so he must be excused.
Oscar was determined to have his own way. Fred was obstinate and would
not yield. Emma and Fani were not at all loath to give up their studies
and join in the dispute.
In the other room, Lina, her cheeks flaming with excitement, was
declaring to Mrs. Clarissa that she would not stay another day in the
house; no one would believe such things could happen who hadn't seen
them; she never heard of such things before in her life.
"Do try to speak plainly, so that I can understand what you mean," said
Clarissa, who had not an idea what the girl was talking about.
"Well, I noticed it a little once or twice before," said the agitated
house-maid; "but I thought it came in at the open window. But to-day,
just now, when I opened the drawer of the young gentleman's wash-stand
to clean it, out jumped a live frog. I opened another and there were a
lot of spiders crawling about! I slapped at them with a cloth and they
ran into all the corners, and I couldn't get them out. Then I saw that
the key was in the writing-desk, and I thought what if by chance any of
the disgusting creatures had got in there; for what would Mrs. Stanhope
say? I opened one division and then another and another. Hu! how it
looked! I can't tell you how horrid it was! Snails, caterpillars,
beetles, every sort of ugly living creature crawled out of every
place,--it was all dirty and nasty and abominable! I cleaned and brushed
and washed and scrubbed as well as I could; but it was so dirty and so
sticky! Ugh! And it was done on purpose, too; that's the worst of it;
and the nasty things have got into my clothes and my hair and all over
me! That stupid young gentleman did it just to frighten whoever came and
found them there! I know he did!"
"No, Lina, you're mistaken," said Clarissa, when she could get in a
word. "Come with me, and I'll see what can be done with the room. The
boy didn't mean to frighten any one. I'm only afraid he was trying to
hide them where they wouldn't be found. Let's go and see."
The aspect of Fred's room was indeed alarming. All the drawers and
shelves in the different pieces of furniture were pulled out, and all
were dirty and bore the marks of the creatures who had been kept in
them. On the floor lay the remains of the spiders and worms that Lina
had destroyed. The windows also were spotted with the dead bodies of
insects. Clarissa shook her head sadly.
"Call the lad to come up here," she said. "But do not make any more fuss
about the matter. Listen to me, Lina; we must make this all clean and
nice again without letting Mrs. Stanhope know anything about it. Do you
understand?"
Lina muttered something to herself and went to call Fred. When the poor
lad entered his room and saw the destruction of all his carefully
preserved treasures, he turned as white as chalk, and spoke not one
word.
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